Microtuner for pipe organs



Patented Nov. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE.

HENRY C. TEETOIL'VQOIE HAGERSTOWN, AND HERBERT S. MIKESELL, 0F RICHMOND,

INDIANA.

MICROTUNERFOB PIPE oRGANs.

Application filed February The object of our present invention, broadly speaking, is to provide a micro-tuner .for pipeforgans, or the like, the saine being simple in, character, strong and durable in construction, positive in its results, easilyopup and ldown manually, with thel damper in Contact with the reed, moving the damper' until rthe desired tonal effect is produced, and then attempt-ing to secure the damper by means of a wire, orthe like, which by reason of the vibrations developed, soon allowed the damper to move, thereby destroying the tone desired. f LTherefore the particular object of this invention is .to provide means whereby the position of the damper can be adjusted to an infinitesimal degree `of accuracy which, when attained, will be automatically and permanently maintained. j

The preferred means for carrying out the principles of our Ainvention in a .practical and etliCient manner, is shown in the vaccompanying drawings, in which-Figure is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, showing the Ainvention in operative positionhin connection with the parts with which i-t is intended to be employed. VFigure 2 shows a front elevation of the invention, alsoV showing certain partsrwith which the invention is used. Figure 3 is a lower end view of the parts shown'in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross section of the pipe-base, and the adjusting or regulating screw, showing a pocket in said base, and a locking spring which is located in said pocket. Figure 5 shows the adjusting or regula-ting screw, and its locking nuts, as the same would appear when removed from the other parts with which it is normally connected. Figure 6 Vis a crosssection taken through the ystem of the adjusting screw, as taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5, but on an enlarged scale. And Figure 7 is a face view of the chalice. I

Similar indices denote like parts throughout the several views. y

In vorder that the construction, the operation, and the several advantages 'of this invention may be understood and more. fully appreciated, we will now take up a detailed description thereof, in which we will set forth the same as comprehensively as we may.

1, 1927. Serial No. 165,093.

The parts which are old, and with which our invention is associated, comprises the following parts. which are denoted by letters. Letter A denotes a top portion of the windchest of a pipe organ, through which portion an aperture@ is formed, with which aperture is connected the toe or lower end of the lower pipe, or pipe foot, B, whichin this instance is formed tapering to its'lower portion. The` upper end of the pipe B is closed by the pipe base, or head, C which lits securely therein, with a flange a: extending out from around its upper corner, which flange contacts with the upper end of the pipe B, as shown in Fig. 1.

Formed vertically through the'base C is an air aperture y.

Secured in and extending upward from the aperture g/ is the pipe lue D, whose lower portionis formed tapering, as shown at (l.

Letter E denotes the pipe head, which is revolvable on the upper end of the pipe D, there being corresponding apertures e formed in the side of the head E which register with like apertures in the upper portion of the pipe D, whereby the volume passing through said pipes may be'controlled by turning the head E to increase or decrease the size of the apertures e. y

Letter F denotes a chalice, which is in the form of a tube, closed at its lower end, with its upper end formedopen, and having a flat face o n one side. Formed through said face isa Vslot Gr, which extends thereof, 'as is shown in Fig. 7.

Contacting with said flat face, extending fromend to end thereof, and closing the slot Gr, is the reed H, which is secured at its upper end in the base C, its remainng portion being free to vibrate when air is forced upward through saidpipes. v

f lVe make no claim to said parts, and we are notA to be limited to the use of said parts in installing our invention, as they ymay be variously changed to meet diiferent conditions. y v

Our invention comprises a damper 1, which is in t-he nature of a flat spring bent into substantially U-shape, the same being secured at one endy to the tuner-head 2, the other end portion being freeand in contact with the reed H. The head 2 is provided with a threaded aperture extending vertically therethrough, in which-isy adapted to operate the threaded portion 3 of the tuning screw. Said llO screw nieinber also comprises an unthreaded Y stein portion 4, and a head portion 5, with a i CQ Cil

driver slot 6 fornied across the face of the head whereby the entirescrew member may be turned by a4v screw-driver or other tool. The stem portion is'fluted, that is to say`,

a plurality of'iutes or channels i' ,-4 preferablyhalf-round, are fornied in the periph-ery thereof.

equally .apart, als shown in Fig. 5. The head 5r inay be niadeseperate ,from the stein, but when in operativeiposition it must be rigidly securedthereto. Y Y

The' stein' lisYrevolvable in" an 'aperture' foi'in'ed verticallyl through vthe lbase C and parallel: withlthe aperture Y The head of the said'screw is adapted to clanip upon. the upper face ofthe base C,

witha,lock-washer 8 locatedtherebetween.

vllunieral 9 denotes a nut adapted tov run on the threaded portion 3 of the screw and to contact with the under-side of the" base C. A locking nutl()k is also run on said threaded portion l3, vand it is adapted to contact with the nut 9 to prevent it from turning.

'itornied inthe center, vertically, of one side.

of the base C is an oblong pocket lll, in which is secured, at one end, vthe hat spring l2', which y has a nib, or lrinln'l?) formed therein near its free end, which nib is adaptedto enter either of the tintes `7 as the screw is Vrevolved'. `The tension of the spring l2 isV such` that it at 'all tiines presses upon the zsteni 4 `of the screw. y

Operation.

' l The operation of our device is very siniple It first being understood that proper air pressure is forined in thewind-che'st A, the air "pressure passing upward' through the'V aperture e, then into the pipe B, thelcoinpressed air hasno other way of egress, from the pipe .13, except through the slot G, and Vvto accom'- plish which it causes the' reed H to vibrate. 1 Continuing; The air then passes into the chalice, thenthrough the aperture y, and then throughy the neck .d wheie the tone is ainplilied. Frein the latter theair' passes .through the iiue D, and is then dischargedV out through aperatures e, and of course carrying with it the tone produced by the reed H.

i New it niust be understood thatthe reed H vcauses a.. certain tone, depending on the length ofthe reed below its fixed connection Vwith the chalice, which tone is caused bythe air as it passes the reed into the slot G. It is Y Y evident that the tone developed bythe reed inust be controlled or be'l capable of being'` changed or varied, in order that it may be harmonized with the tones developed in other pipes of the saine organ. rIhe controlling .or setting of the" tone at the pitch desired is obtained by thejdainp'er l, which isV -caused to press upon thel reed H, and the f The ineans for Said flut-es or channels 7 exten-d longitudinally of the `stein, and are spaced location of the damper upward, .or downward, determines the tone by lengthening vor shortening the vibrating portion ofthe reed H. y p y moving the damper, for changing the tone, and for maintainingthe tion. .To accomplish this the dainper 'is secured to the head 2, and said head is carried vby the screw. Therefore by turning the screw itis evident nthat Vthe dainper l will be Vraised orlowered, thereby changing the bearing or desired tone at the point to which it has been .p `set, is the predominant object of this invenpointrof contact of the damperwith the reed.-k

`quarter-turn of the screw thenib 13 willen# gage in a channel Zand thereby retain theV screw, and therefore the damper 1 ,in that position.

The screw is preventedfrorn moving downward by its head' 5, and it is prevented from nioving upward by the nut 9, when the latteris run upward into contact with the base C. The ,nut Qcanbe locked when desired Aby thereagainst. y 1 l y lt is to be understood that various changes niay be niad'e inthe several details of construction herein set forth without departing frein the spirit ofthe invention and without sacriiicing any of the advantages thereof which are new' and useful and which involve invention. Y

Having now fully shown and described this invention, what we claim, and desire to seineans ofthe nut 10 beingcontacted tightly .cure by Letters Patent of the United States, Y

ing4 an air pipe connected at its lowerend with air pressure, a base closing the upper end of said pipe, a chalice having a slot in the side thereof with said chalice extendingY down froin'said base, and a reed adapted to close said slot; a micro-tuner comprising a screw, with its head at all times resting on the'top of said base, and'having itsupper portion rotatably niounted in said body with itsthreadedportion extending downin Afront of said slot and parallel therewithbutspaced therefrom, means for preventing endwise inovenient of said screw, a head adaptedto be carried up and down by the rotation of said screw, and a flat spring dainper having one end; thereofattac'hed to said head and 1. ln conibinati'onwith a pipe organ hav- ,5* Y

with its free portion in resilient contact with said reed, all substantially as set forth.

2. A tuning device for pipe organs, comprising a damper formed of flat spring material adapt-ed to press upon the reed of an organ, a head to which one end of said damper is attached, a screw threated through said head and adapted to move the head and the damper when the screw is rotated, means whereby said screw is prevented from moving' endwise and automatic means for preventing the inadvertent rotation of said screw.

3, In combination with an organ having a pipe, a base closing the discharge end of the pipe, a chalice secured in an aperture in said pipe and extending into said pipe, a reed secured at one end and extending over a. slot in said chalice; a U-shaped springy damper contacting with said reed, a solid head to which the damper is secured, a screw threaded into the head with one portion of said screw revolvable in an aperture in said base whereby the rotation of said screw will change the position of the damper with relation to the reed, means preventing endwise movement of said screw, and a Hat spring for securing the screw against inadvertent rotation.

et. In combination with a pipe organ having an air conducting pipe connected at one end with a source of air under pressure, a base member closing the other end of said pipe, a chalice having a fiat face on one side with a slot formed through said face and with an air passage leading from the interior 01"' the chalice through said base, a reed connected at one end to said base and projecting over said slot in the chalice; a damper formed of flat spring material pressing against and extending below said reed, a screw revolvably mounted in and extending through said base, a head attached to said damper, with said screw threaded therethrough whereby the rotation of said screw will move the damper upon the reed in order to change the tone developed by the reed, and means whereby said screw is prevented from moving up and down.

In `testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names.

HENRY C. TEETOR. HERBERT S. MIKESELL. 

